It's late in the season, but too bad. I'm going to try and organize a Winter Solstice party for next weekend - I propose Friday the 20th at around 8 PM server time (I'm open to adjusting this based on feedback). Details will be posted in-game when I figure things out more concretely.

My focus will be the Festival of Aengels since it's what my character would celebrate, however, because the solstice covers three major holidays all are welcome to contribute ideas based on their character's personal roleplay. I'm planning to hold this in Haiban since it's the most neutral location and anyone who wishes should be able to attend. If any druids want to do the Spiritmoot or Hillfolk want Exodus Day stuff thrown in that's fine. Feel free to post here or shoot me a personal message and we can try to organize things properly.

I may be able to join for an hour or so, but 5 hour timezone differences make it difficult and I have a flight on the 21st. I'm not sure what time I'll be setting off to the airport either and I just get travel sick if I try read in a car.

"Please join me Artisday the 27th of Januarum for a celebration of the Winter Solstice. This will take place starting at seven bells post zenith in Haiban. This is semi-formal so please dress accordingly or in-theme with the Festival of Aengels, Spiritmoot, or Exodus Day as appropriate for your own beliefs and traditions. Storytelling will be encouraged so please be prepared to share tales of Solstices past or traditional stories if you are willing and able. This is a great opportunity to get to know your neighbors and spend time with friends. Food and drinks will be available. Contact Saeda if you have questions or would like to help."

Anyone is welcome to come so long as they have access to the town. We'll try to have it in the Founder's Inn ballroom like the last event. I'm calling it semi-formal but you do not need to dress up. It's a fun thing to do sometimes, but no one is going to kick you out if you don't.

I highly encourage people to come up with short stories or songs they might share. These preferably should be winter-themed or have to do with one of the three celebrations of the season in Clok, but can be about anything if nothing else comes to mind. Recycled stories are also welcome. We've had some great ones told in the past.

It's a ballroom so there's also the opportunity for music and dancing. It's really just a chance for people to get together and have some fun. If any of the GMs want to lend a hand with possible food/beverages or decorations that would be fantastic. I'm willing to offer ideas for this as well.

Also - for those who haven't been before... there is a bar adjacent to the ballroom. This takes riln to use. So if you want to imbibe from what's not provided just be prepared to have some riln on you and to possibly bring your own drinking container (optional) if you don't want to purchase one of theirs.

I've heard from one person in-game that they would be willing to help out with food. If anyone else is a good cook in clok and would like to contribute that would be appreciated. I'm not sure it will be a catered kind of thing like past events as I haven't heard from any of the GMs yet. It may end up more like a pot luck which goes along with the theme of feasting anyway. It won't be "bring your own" but if several people want to volunteer to bring things in addition to what I can muster up that would be great. I'll try to get a cask together so we can have drinks and may pick up some sweets, but if people want to bake pies/cookies, or make heartier fare to contribute that would be amazing. If any of the GMs wants to help out with decorations, food, or other preparations I can probably come up with some ideas.

I just want to remind people that this is on Friday. I highly encourage everyone to take a look over the Winter Solstice page on the wiki which is linked in my original post.

If you're comfortable with it, please prepare a story, poem, song, or piece of art (some npcs have done this in the past or you can put something on paper and we'll go with it) to share with everyone. Again, these can be related to the solstice or not. This is just meant to be fun and allow people to socialize and be creative so there's no pressure. If any Hillfolk, Druids, or Viali want to talk about their particular tradition that would be fantastic. Others can come up with Clok-themed family traditions as well.

I look forward to seeing you all there and hearing what you come up with :)

Reminding everyone this is on Friday. I look forward to seeing you all there. Please have stories prepared (not mandatory). I just think it would be awesome if we could all share something.

If you need to contact me in-game for whatever reason I'll try to be around. Also, if the GM helping out could give me a poke that would be great. I just want to make sure everything's working out since it's two days off now.

Jaster, storytelling was mentioned. I think we need a retelling of the Legend of the Frigid Cuirass.

Speaking to you, Vaylon asks, "If I touch your hair, will I get some of your power?"[CHAT - Helenna]: I don't know if it's funny or disturbing that you know which are the best water closets in the game.

Final reminder that this is going on tonight in Haiban and that all are welcome. It officially starts at 7 bells post zenith, but if people want to meet up earlier just to hang out (if they can't come later or whatever) I'm planning to be on fairly early.

I just want to remind people there is an attached bar where this is being held. If you want to use the bar and don't want to bring your own mug/tankard/cup you can purchase one from the bar and then get drinks there to bring back into the main room. There are mugs specifically made festive for the event and they are 15 riln each. I'd say bring at least 100 riln with you depending on what you might like to drink with them or how often you decide to imbibe.

Thanks so much to Uyoku and Vestyn and anyone else who offered to help both on staff and player-side.

If anyone wants to share their stories from tonight here please do so. Here's what Saeda told:

This is a story of a Winter Solstice Aengel and the blessings of Serafina.

Once long ago there was a little town on the edge of Ivial where two very special families lived. The first was an elderly couple blessed with years of love, successful business, and good health. The second, a couple just starting out in their marriage, full of new love and hope.

Three years passed and their fortunes changed. The wife of the old man fell ill and died suddenly, leaving him heartbroken. He became so filled with despair, having no other family, that soon he had lost everything due to lack of care - his home, his money, his business. He wandered the streets disheveled and was mocked by many in the town who had once respected him.

The young couple had a child, now two years old, whose growing needs soon made their work insufficient. The husband was not a skilled tradesman and was unsure what to do to make ends meet. He too fell into despair as thoughts of becoming a thief to feed his family entered his mind.

But both families, despite their conditions, remained faithful to Serafina and her teachings. The young couple was kind to strangers, giving even what they could not afford to give. The old man, though spurned by his neighbors, helped those who deined to help him, never wanting something for nothing.

One afternoon the young family's little girl saw a rabbit on the edge of her family's garden. She squealed in glee at the sight of the creature with its long straight ears, cotton tail, and twitching nose. Her mother, weary from the day's work, had fallen asleep and the girl chased the rabbit deep into the woods.

The girl wandered unaware of the danger she was in, following the rabbit until it disappeared into the brush. When she looked back she saw nothing but trees surrounding her and had no idea how to get home. It was dead of winter and while there was no snow on the ground, the chill air caused the girl to shiver. It was dark and quiet in the wood and she began to take fright. She curled up between the roots of a nearby tree and wept quietly, praying to Serafina for help.

The girl's mother awakened when her husband returned home and they found their daughter was missing. Seeing the desperation and weariness in his wife's face, he could not be angry with her. Rather they set out together immediately to scour the woods, but with nothing but a carpet of dense leaves on the ground, it was impossible to track her.

Meanwhile, the old man, having failed to find shelter for the evening, had too begun to despair of his lot. He hadn't the clothing to survive the bitterly cold night and he feared the day was his last. Shivering and cold, the man wandered to the edge of town, seeking shelter among the forest trees. He grew weary and fell into a fitful sleep, praying to Serafina and the aengels for their blessings to come to him once more so that he could continue to aid others as he had in the past.

Now, winter is a time when aengels sometimes walk the land seeking those particularly in need during the roughest season of the year. On this night, an aengel heard the prayers of the old man, but more importantly, he also heard the prayers of a little girl, so young she could barely speak, as she chanted, "Serafina protect me," through her sobs.

The aegel's heart filled with compassion and he flew to the old man's side. He cast down a ray of light, waking the man with its soothing warmth, driving away the bitter chill. The man sat up when he saw the aengel and was too amazed for words. He had been heard after all his hardship.

The aengel smiled down on him and pulled him to his feet, then said, "I have helped you this evening, in your time of need. I ask now if you are willing to aid another." The old man nodded vigorously. "Of course! I will always help those in need."

The aengel smiled again and whispered in his ear, then the light seemed to absorb into the man and the aengel was gone. Despite the wood having returned to darkness, the man was still warmed by the light in his compassionate heart. He went where the aengel directed him and found the little girl curled up under a tree. He lifted her gently into his arms and hugged her close. The warmth of the aengel seemed to envelop them both as he walked surely back to her home.

When they arrived, it was to find that her parents, having failed their search, had returned home to fetch lanterns and blankets. When they saw their daughter carried by the old man they were filled with joy and thankfulness at the blessing they had received.

That night the old man was welcomed into their home. He stayed with the family for many years until the aengels finally came for him. He helped to watch over the child, taught the father a trade, eased the mother's burden. They grew into a family blessed among their neighbors and wanted for nothing, sharing with any in need as they always had.

I didn't get to make it, but I hope we do something like this again some time. Maybe a bonfire party where we don't have to stop every 5 minutes to feed the fire. *looks at you GMs*

CHAT - Sir Alexander Candelori: Truly a man is an abomination that does not dip his french fries into his chocolate frosty.Bryce flatly says, "Just fair warning: If one of those things webs me, I'm going to scream like a girl."You overhear the following rumor:"There's an old man that can sometimes be seen walking around with a trunk, rumor has it he takes it to the stables and gets naked in front of the horses before changing clothes from the trunk."You think to yourself, "Who could that old man be?"